One-Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta

Name: One-Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 1 packet taco seasoning; 2 cups beef broth; 1 cup salsa; 8 oz elbow macaroni; 1 cup shredded cheddar

One-Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta — a Mexican-American-inspired kid-friendly dinner on the table in 20 minutes, built for weeknight speed and mild, familiar flavors.

📝 Notes: Kid-Friendly Tip: Familiar mac-and-cheese texture with taco flavor — a good bridge recipe for kids wary of "Mexican food."

⏱ Prep 8m🔥 Cook 12m🕒 Total 20m🍽 4 servings

#kid-friendly#quick#weeknight#30-minutes-or-less

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Ingredients

1 lbground beef
1 packettaco seasoning
2 cupsbeef broth
1 cupsalsa
8 ozelbow macaroni
1 cupshredded cheddar

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Method

1
Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small crumbles with a spoon, until fully browned, about 5–6 minutes. Drain off excess fat.
2
Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the beef and stir to coat evenly, letting it toast for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
3
Pour in the beef broth and salsa, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a simmer.
4
Stir in the dry elbow macaroni, making sure the noodles are mostly submerged in liquid.
5
Cover, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook for 12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed into a thick, saucy consistency.
6
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar until it melts into a creamy sauce that coats every noodle.
7
Let sit for 2 minutes to thicken slightly before serving.